Yorkshire's constant self-promotion can be annoying to some readers so I apologise for this but nonetheless I felt that I couldn't let it pass. The tireless efforts of Welcome to Yorkshire to attract visitors for their holidays – with great success – have been handsomely supported by Gordon and Betty Whitham.

They have just notched up over 50 stays at a Skipton hotel within the last 12 years, which might not be that remarkable, except that they live five miles away in Silsden. The landscape of that stretch of the Aire Valley changes a little in between the two towns, but hardly enough to justify adages about a change being as good as a rest.

The Whithams, both in their eighties, first took a break at the Rendezvous Hotel in 1999 and have since returned to stay for every birthday, wedding anniversary and simple summer breaks. Their most recent ultra-short-haul trips were for their 48th wedding anniversary at the end of July and Gordon's eightieth birthday a fortnight later.

Betty Witham, who is a tad older than her husband but still works part-time at Silsden Co-Op, says that there is no need to go any further:

We simply love staying at the Rendezvous. The minute we walk in, we feel like we're on holiday

Gordon, a keen bowls player, adds:

The hotel has a restaurant overlooking the canal and we always eat there. It's a wonderfully peaceful place to dine while watching boats and swans drift by.

Their approach may appear to conform to a stereotype of very provincial people, unwilling to venture beyond the familiar (although the village of Cowling, halfway between Silsden and Skipton, clubbed together in 1905 to buy the first bus ever seen in Yorkshire, in order to make it easier to get to market and work in Keighley. Eighteen villagers led by an Ezra Laycock went to London to collect the Milnes-Daimler single-decker and rive it home, the longest journey made by a motorbus in England up to that time).

Skipton is indeed lovely. Christopher Thomond/Guardian

But actually, life isn't like that. Neighbouring communities round here usually reserve their most intense suspicion for those nearby. My own area of Rawdon has this sort of relationship with Yeadon and Guiseley and vice versa. None of us would dream on going on holiday to the others. When the abductor in the Shannon Matthews kidnap in Dewsbury was finally tracked down, there was considerable emphasis locally on the fact that he was from Batley. Next door, nuff said.

The Withams are nonetheless music to the ears of Gary Verity, chief executive and barker for Welcome to Yorkshire, who says:

So is Ilkley Moor, just above Silsden. Photograph: Kevin Rushby

Gordon and Betty clearly have great taste and it's wonderful to know that they've been enjoying holidays on their doorstep for all those years. Skipton's reputation as a visitor destination is growing fast - I hope Gordon and Betty have many more wonderful holidays near home.

Silsden would also make a pleasant holiday destination, with similar swans and boats on the Leeds-Liverpool canal, Ilkley Moor above and the amazing mansion of Henry Butterfield at Cliffe Castle nearby and reopening in Spring next year.